The influence of model quality on self-other mate choice copying

We explored, through two experiments, the influence of model quality and gender on mate choice copying (MCC) behavior for oneself and for others. In the first experiment, we used a 3 (decision-making role: self, stranger, close friend) × 2 (gender: male, female) between-subjects design. The phenomenon of MCC was only found in females. There was no significant difference between making decisions for oneself and for close friends, but there was a significant difference between making decisions for oneself and for strangers. In the second experiment, we used a 2 (model quality: higher, lower) × 3 (decision-making role: self, stranger, close friend) × 2 (gender: male, female) mixed experimental design. Results showed an MCC effect under the condition of high-quality models for both males and females, but no MCC effect for low quality models, either for males or females. Again, there was no significant difference between making decisions for oneself and for close friends, but there was a significant difference between making decisions for oneself and for strangers. These results reveal that context is important for the manifestation of MCC behavior: both women and men are influenced by the choices of high quality models, but ignore the behavior of low quality models

Bewertung landwirtschaftlicher Produktivitätspotentiale der globalen Landressource

Ziel unserer Arbeiten ist die Klassifikation und funktionelle Bewertung von Agrarstandorten nach einheitlichen Kriterien. Solche Informationen könnten für die überregional vergleichende Bewertung und standortgerechte nachhaltige agrarische Nutzung von Böden hilfreich sein. Wir untersuchten mehr als 100 repräsentative Böden auf Versuchsstandorten in bedeutenden Agrarregionen der Welt. Das sind Europa, Nordchina, die Prärieregionen Nordamerikas, sowie die Steppen Westsibiriens und Kasachstans. Die Böden wurden nach der World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB 2006) klassifiziert und mittels Müncheberger Soil Quality Rating (M-SQR) funktionell bewertet. Das indikatorbasierte M-SQR erwies sich als praktikabel und führte zu plausiblen Wertezahlen der Bodengüte. Die Bewertungskennziffern des M-SQR können je nach Landnutzungsintensität und Anpassungsgüte der Indikatoren etwa 50-80 % der Ertragsvariabilität von Getreide erklä¬ren. Es wird geschlußfolgert, daß das M-SQR für die skalenübergreifende Abschätzung von landwirtschaftlichen Produktivitätspotentialen, also als Basiswerkzeug für ein globales Bodenmonitoring, geeignet ist. Das M-SQR erweitert Bodenklassifikationssysteme wie die WRB 2006 um den Aspekt der Bodenfunktionalität

The genus Syntozyga Lower (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) in China, with descriptions of two new species

Species of the genus Syntozyga Lower, 1901 (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae, Olethreutinae) from China are studied. Syntozyga apicispinata sp. nov. and S. similispirographa sp. nov. are described, S. pedias (Meyrick, 1920) is recorded for the first time from China, and S. spirographa (Diakonoff, 1968) is newly recorded from the Chinese mainland. Adults and genitalia are illustrated, and a distribution map of the Chinese species is given. Keys to identify the Chinese species of Syntozyga are provided. Species of the genus are well clustered in a neighbor-joining tree based on the sequence data of the COI gene. COI sequences corresponding to the new species and S. spirographa (Diakonoff, 1968) are submitted to BOLD

Ammonia Volatilization from Urea Incorporation with wheat and Maize Straw on a Loamy Soil in China

Effects of incorporating urea with wheat or corn straw at different soil moisture levels on ammonia volatilization were measured in a field experiment using a sponge-tripping method with KCl extraction. Over a 10-day period following incubation NH3 volatilization peaked on day 3 for urea alone, while highest emission rates were observed on day 2 for urea plus wheat or corn straw. Total NH3 losses decreased in the order: urea > urea + maize straw > urea + wheat straw. Emissions of NH3 were more sensitive to soil moisture after straw addition and correlation analysis showed that NH3 volatilization was also significantly affected by pH of the surface soil. To reduce ammonia losses at the farm level application of urea fertilizer should consider the straw type and soil properties

Ammonia Volatilization from Urea Incorporation with wheat and Maize Straw on a Loamy Soil in China

Effects of incorporating urea with wheat or corn straw at different soil moisture levels on ammonia volatilization were measured in a field experiment using a sponge-tripping method with KCl extraction. Over a 10-day period following incubation NH3 volatilization peaked on day 3 for urea alone, while highest emission rates were observed on day 2 for urea plus wheat or corn straw. Total NH3 losses decreased in the order: urea > urea + maize straw > urea + wheat straw. Emissions of NH3 were more sensitive to soil moisture after straw addition and correlation analysis showed that NH3 volatilization was also significantly affected by pH of the surface soil. To reduce ammonia losses at the farm level application of urea fertilizer should consider the straw type and soil properties

The complete mitochondrial genome of Clepsis pallidana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with phylogenetic implications

The leaf roller, Clepsis pallidana (Fabricius, 1776) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is an important pest of many crops in China. The circular genome is 15,679 bp in length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of the whole mitogenome is 41.2% A, 40.1% T, 11.1% C, and 7.7% G, which shows a strong AT bias. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 PCGs showed that C. pallidana was closely related to Epiphyas postvittana and clustered within Archipini clade, which was consistent with the traditional classification

Nitrate–Nitrite–Nitric Oxide Pathway: A Mechanism of Hypoxia and Anoxia Tolerance in Plants

Oxygen (O2) is the most crucial substrate for numerous biochemical processes in plants. Its deprivation is a critical factor that affects plant growth and may lead to death if it lasts for a long time. However, various biotic and abiotic factors cause O2 deprivation, leading to hypoxia and anoxia in plant tissues. To survive under hypoxia and/or anoxia, plants deploy various mechanisms such as fermentation paths, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), antioxidant enzymes, aerenchyma, and adventitious root formation, while nitrate (NO3−), nitrite (NO2−), and nitric oxide (NO) have shown numerous beneficial roles through modulating these mechanisms. Therefore, in this review, we highlight the role of reductive pathways of NO formation which lessen the deleterious effects of oxidative damages and increase the adaptation capacity of plants during hypoxia and anoxia. Meanwhile, the overproduction of NO through reductive pathways during hypoxia and anoxia leads to cellular dysfunction and cell death. Thus, its scavenging or inhibition is equally important for plant survival. As plants are also reported to produce a potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) when supplied with NO3− and NO2−, resembling bacterial denitrification, its role during hypoxia and anoxia tolerance is discussed here. We point out that NO reduction to N2O along with the phytoglobin-NO cycle could be the most important NO-scavenging mechanism that would reduce nitro-oxidative stress, thus enhancing plants’ survival during O2-limited conditions. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in reducing NO toxicity would not only provide insight into its role in plant physiology, but also address the uncertainties seen in the global N2O budget

Layered-Strip Fertilization Improves Nitrogen Use Efficiency by Enhancing Absorption and Suppressing Loss of Urea Nitrogen

Appropriate deep application of fertilizer is the key basis for improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). However, the effects of different deep application methods and fertilizer types on nutrient migration, NUE and biomass in wheat season are unclear. Therefore, in this study, a barrel planting test with multilayer fertilization (15N labeled urea (U) and coated urea (CU)) was conducted in a long-term positioning trial of winter wheat in the North China Plain (NCP). We quantified the migration of fertilizer N (Ndff) in soil–plant–atmosphere and its effects on wheat biomass and NUE based on surface (Usur, CUsur), layered-strip (Ustr, CUstr) and layered-mix fertilization (Umix, CUmix) of U and CU. Compared with surface fertilization, the concentration of mineral N in root zone (0–40 cm) was increased by Ustr and Umix (8.6–50.3%), and the concentration of ammonium N was decreased by CUstr and CUmix (49.6–76.0%), but there was no change in the nitrate N. The biomass and total N absorption of wheat tissues (straw and root) were increased by 12.3–38.9% under Ustr and CUstr. Meanwhile, the distribution of Ndff in the 0–10 cm soil was decreased under Ustr and CUstr, but it was increased in the 10–30 cm soil, thereby promoting the absorption of Ndff in wheat tissues by 12.3–28.7%. The rates of absorption and loss of Ndff were the highest (57.6–58.5%) and the lowest (4.5%) under Ustr and CUstr, respectively, compared with other treatments. Consequently, layered-strip fertilization optimized the migration and utilization of Ndff within the soil–plant–atmosphere system. This approach equalized distribution, enhanced absorption and minimized losses of Ndff, resulting in an increase in NUE by 9.6–16.7%. Under the same treatment, CU was more suitable for crop nutrient requirements than U, which was more conducive to the improvement of NUE. Our findings will provide a scientific basis for the precise directional fertilization of winter wheat in the NCP

Nutrient and Isotopic Dynamics of Litter Decomposition from Different Land Uses in Naturally Restoring Taihang Mountain, North China

Litter decomposition is a prominent pathway for nutrient availability and management in terrestrial ecosystems. An in-situ litter decomposition experiment was carried out for different land use types along an elevation gradient in the Taihang Mountain area restored after heavy forest degradation in the past. Four land use types, i.e., cropland, shrubland, grassland, and forest, selected randomly from a 300–700 m elevation were investigated for the experiment using the litter bag technique. Litter mass loss ranged from 26.9% (forest) to 44.3% (cropland) varying significantly among land use types. The initial litter quality, mainly N and C/N, had a significant effect on the litter loss rate. The interaction of elevation × land use types × time was significant (p < 0.001). Litter nutrient mobility (K > P ≈ N > C) of the decomposing litter was sporadic with substantial stoichiometric effects of C/N, N/P, and C/P. The residual litters were enriched in 15N and depleted in 13C as compared to the initial litter. Increment of N, P, and δ15N values in residual litter indicates that, even in the highly weathered substrate, plant litter plays a crucial role in conserving nutrients. This study is a strong baseline for monitoring the functioning of the Taihang Mountain ecosystem restored after the complete destruction in the early 1990s

Responses of Cereal Yields and Soil Carbon Sequestration to Four Long-Term Tillage Practices in the North China Plain

Current tillage practices in the important winter wheat–summer maize double cropping system of the North China Plain are under debate because of negative effects on soil quality and crop yield. Therefore, a long-term experiment was conducted from 2001 to 2018 to determine the effects of soil conservation practices on crop yield and soil quality. The treatments were imposed following maize harvest and prior wheat seeding, and were defined as follows: (1) moldboard ploughing (0–20 cm) following maize straw removal (CK); (2) moldboard ploughing (0–20 cm) following maize straw return (CT); (3) rotary tillage following maize straw return (RT); and (4) no tillage with maize straw covering the soil surface (NT). Wheat straw was chopped and spread on the soil in all treatments and maize seeded without prior tillage. Wheat yields were higher in CT than RT and NT treatments (p < 0.05); NT had 18% lower wheat yields than CT. No significant differences were found between treatments in summer maize yields. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content in the surface layer (0–5 cm) was higher in NT and RT compared to CT and CK. However, SOC content in the 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm layers was lower in NT and RT compared to CT and CK. Similarly, available phosphorus in the surface soil was higher in NT and RT than in CT and CK. but the opposite was true for the lower soil layers. SOC stocks (0–30 cm) increased in all treatments, and were initially faster in NT and RT than in CT and CK. However, SOC stocks were higher in CT than in other treatments at the end of the experiment. This finding indicates that no tillage and reduced tillage decreased both wheat yields and soil C sequestration over time; it also indicates that CT was the most robust in terms of crop yields and soil C sequestration